When is the Right Time to Consider a Care Home?

For some, identifying when to move a friend or loved one into a care home can be clear, but it can also be a fraught decision that brings a lot of stress and worry with it. 

To make sure your loved one gets the support they need, it’s important to be on the lookout for telltale signs that their current situation is no longer safe or suitable. This may simply be because your loved one is isolated in their own home, and feeling the need for companionship, or it could be because their current care arrangements are becoming inadequate. 

Keep reading for expert advice and insight on when to consider a care home, from the Danforth Care team.

Assessing the Need for a Care Home 

The average age to go into a care home is 86, but if it comes, the right time will be different for everyone, and depends on a whole range of factors. These include the level of care available at home, your loved one’s social and medical needs, and how well they’re currently managing on their own. At Danforth Care, we accept residents from the age of 65 and upwards. 

Health and Safety Concerns 

Those with long-term chronic illnesses can often live very well independently, or with regular care visits, but if you suspect their illness is getting worse or seems harder to manage, a care home could be your next step. For instance, your loved one might be struggling to keep up with doctor’s appointments, or treatments and medications, which could lead to further health complications.

Daily Living Challenges

If your loved one seems to be finding everyday domestic tasks more challenging, this is a sign they could be more comfortable in a care home. This might include warning signs like rapid weight loss, a decrease in mobility, frequent falls, hesitancy about leaving the house, or worsening personal hygiene. Similarly, if the condition of their home environment becomes a concern, even with visiting carers, it could be time to consider full-time residential care. 

Isolating and Loneliness 

Loneliness is extremely common among the elderly population, and even with regular visits from family members or in-home carers, many older people struggle with feeling isolated, particularly if they’ve lost confidence in leaving the house, or are unable to. In a care home, your loved one will have company from their peers as often as they like, and as well as companionship, they’ll be able to enjoy clubs, outings and events, building a whole new social life. 

Cognitive Decline 

For someone with a degenerative cognitive disease, particularly those entering the later stages,  getting the right care is absolutely vital to their wellbeing. Symptoms like memory loss, mood changes, new communication problems and trouble keeping time can all be signs of when someone with dementia should go into a care home. You can also arrange specialist dementia care, which provides relief for both the person living with the disease and their family, particularly in a setting where support is available around the clock. 

Caregiver Strain 

Even when caring for a beloved family member, or a close friend, being a carer can have both an emotional and physical impact, and this is completely normal to experience. Danforth Care is here to provide advice and support to both you as a carer, and your loved one. 

Some factors increase the likelihood of caregiver strain, like living with your loved one, struggling to financially support them as well as yourself, or if you feel you have no choice about being a carer. Regardless, if you feel yourself - or suspect your loved one’s carers of - becoming withdrawn, consistently exhausted, or struggling to focus, caregiver strain is likely the culprit. 

Caregiver strain can lead to an inability to provide adequate care, but you may also find that as your loved one’s needs become more constant or complex, you simply can’t keep on top of them, or don’t feel qualified to.

Benefits of Moving to a Care Home 

While the decision to move your loved one into a residential care facility can be very stressful, there are actually many benefits to be enjoyed once they’ve made the transition. Here are some of the key ways their life can change for the better: 

• Access to professional care. In a care home, your loved one will have the support they need around the clock — and this doesn’t just extend to help with daily tasks, but also medical and emotional support too. Most care homes will put together a personalised care plan that’s tailored to the medical and social needs of your loved one, which you can be involved in configuring. 
• Social interaction and activities. Of those over 75 and living alone in the UK, more than a million say they often go over a month without speaking to a neighbour, friend or family member. In a care home, your loved will be able to build relationships with other residents, take part in events and clubs, and participate in a real community. For instance, Danforth Care prides itself on putting on a number of engaging and enjoyable events for its residents — from pop-up restaurants to outdoor excursions and themed parties! 
• Enhanced quality of life. With access to 24/7 care, regular nutritious meals, and what’s likely to be a more active daily routine, your loved one should soon settle into their new environment. Care homes often have amenities on site like cinemas, cafés and libraries, that help to boost confidence and encourage independence. 
• Peace of mind. If you’re considering moving a loved one into a care home, the chances are you’re in an overwhelming situation where you’re frequently worrying about their health, wellbeing and quality of life. With a team of professional carers and state-of-the-art facilities like those we offer, you can have peace of mind knowing they’re well looked after at a Danforth Care home. 

Conducting a Care Home Assessment 

Care home assessment processes differ between those provided by the local authority, and those which are privately funded. Take a look at the key takeaways for both public and privately funded care homes below: 

Local Authority Care Needs Assessment 

If you’re not sure whether your loved one is getting all the support they need, then requesting a care needs assessment is the next step. Care needs assessments are carried out by the adult social services department of your local council and will usually take place with your loved one over the phone, online or in person, depending on their preference. 

The assessment considers factors like your loved one’s current level of health, their living arrangements, social or emotional needs, and support network. This process is designed to establish what type of care is best suited to your loved one, so that a care plan can be agreed upon — often this will include care services delivered or funded by the local council.  

Local Authority Financial Assessment 

After the care needs assessment, there’ll be a financial assessment (sometimes called a “means test”). This step is designed to establish what resources your loved one has to pay towards their care, and will take into account things like earnings, pensions, benefits, property and savings. 
After the assessment, the council will contact you with an estimate cost for your loved one’s care, and how much they’ll need to pay. To find out more about care home funding, and the different payment options available, take a look at our Care Funding Essentials guide.

Private Care Home Assessment Processes 

Care needs assessments and financial assessments carried out by the local authority can be a long and frustrating process, taking up to 9 months. By contrast, the assessments for privately funded care are quick, efficient and convenient.

We carry out our own care needs assessment at a time convenient for the person enquiring - sometimes even on the same day - to establish what type of care is best for your loved one. We then perform a financial assessment of the potential resident, to ensure they have the necessary means to pay for their care. These processes are designed to get your loved one access to the care they need quickly, and with as little stress as possible.  

Understanding the Transition Process 

Preparing for the Move

For both you and your loved one, moving to a care home can feel daunting and emotional, but there are some things you can do to minimise upheaval, and make your loved one feel heard. For instance, you can:

• Be open and honest with them about the next steps
• Visit a number of different care homes 
• Include them in the process of choosing the right home
• Give them a clear timeline for the move 
• Put together a thorough checklist of everything they’ll need 

What to Expect During the Transition 

Once everything is prepared, and your loved one moves into the care home, they might struggle to adjust to the new people and environment or have feelings of homesickness. During this settling-in period, you can: 

• Speak to care home staff about your loved one’s usual and preferred routine
• Make sure their room or suite is set up with all their familiar home comforts 
• Visit regularly to remind them you’re still here for them 
• Help them get familiar with the layout of the home and grounds, to boost their confidence
• Encourage them to build relationships with staff and other residents

Helping Our Residents Get Settled 

We appreciate that moving your loved one into a care home can be difficult. Here are just a few of the ways our team and facilities can help to get our new residents feeling settled as soon as possible: 

Our Moving in Process 

Before new residents move in, we carry out an in-depth assessment to help us better understand their needs, but also how they like to live their day to day lives. We spend time getting to know their routines, and what makes them comfortable, so we can factor these insights into our personal care plans. This helps Danforth Care homes feel more like a personable, home-from-home, rather than a completely foreign environment they must adapt to.

Facilities to Encourage Socialising 

Our facilities are designed to encourage social interaction between residents, with options like the cinema room, the communal lounges and garden rooms offering ample opportunity for shared experiences. We also offer areas where group activities can be held, as well as personal hobbies like jigsaws, crosswords, and crafting — enabling our residents stick to their routines, as well as ease into new activities. 

Amenities to Boost Confidence 

With weekly hairdressing appointments at the on-site salon available to those who want them, and regular chiropody appointments available too, our residents can build a self-care routine that helps them feel like their best selves. 

Dining with Family 

With the dining we offer at Danforth Care homes, it’s our goal to deliver a restaurant-quality experience every time. We offer pop-ups with many different cuisines, and create a social atmosphere where residents can sit together and enjoy conversation over a meal. We also encourage families to join at mealtimes regularly, bringing a sense of familiarity and home comforts for those who are struggling to settle in. 

Moving Into a Danforth Care Home 

Moving to a care home is often a fraught process - emotions run high and there can be worries about how well your loved one will be looked after, and how happy they’ll be. The kind and highly qualified team here at Danforth Care does everything possible to make the move as smooth and stress-free as it can be, providing detailed information and reassurance for both you and your loved one at every step. 

To find out more about our state-of-the-art facilities, and how we craft individual care plans to suit the needs of your loved one, get in touch today.